HARARE , Zimbabwe -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Zimbabwean lawmakers on Monday narrowly voted for Lovemore Moyo as speaker of the parliament -- making him the first opposition lawmaker to hold the position in the country 's history .

Morgan Tsvangirai 's MDC faction has a slim majority following parliamentary elections .

`` This is historic as it ceases to be a rubber-stamping house , '' Moyo said after winning the position . `` It will ensure that progressive laws are passed . I promise to be professional . ''

Moyo -- the national chairman of the main Movement for Democratic Change -LRB- MDC -RRB- party -- received 110 votes while his only opponent , Paul Themba-Nyathi , received 98 votes . The speaker of the parliament is the fourth most powerful post in Zimbabwe .

Themba-Nyathi represented the splinter MDC faction led by Arthur Mutambara , but he had support of President Robert Mugabe 's ZANU-PF party .

The vote took place hours after Mugabe swore in lawmakers , five months after they were elected .

Two members of the main MDC -- led by presidential candidate Morgan Tsvangirai -- were arrested as they arrived at the opening session , but they were released after a short time , according to a government spokesman .

An MDC official said the arrests were part of the `` sinister agenda of this regime '' to `` tilt the balance of numbers in their favour during the voting for the speaker of parliament . ''

One of those detained -- Shuwa Mudiwa -- appeared back in parliament , but the other member -- Elia Jembere -- was not seen , according to sources .

Government spokesman Bright Matonga said Jembere had been accused of rape , but that he has been released from custody .

A third member -- Elton Mangoma -- escaped an arrest attempt when other party members came to his rescue , MDC officials said .

Attendance at the session of parliament is important since the membership is closely divided between the MDC and the Mugabe 's ZANU-PF .

The ruling ZANU-PF party lost its majority in the 210-seat parliament in elections in March , but vote recounts and political violence have delayed the body from convening until now .

Final results gave 100 seats to an MDC faction led by Morgan Tsvangirai , the party 's presidential candidate . President Robert Mugabe 's ZANU-PF got 99 seats . An offshoot of the main MDC party , led by Arthur Mutambara , won 10 seats . An independent candidate won one seat .

Tsvangirai , who was locked in a bitter presidential contest with Mugabe , had objected to Mugabe 's decision to convene parliament , saying it could `` decapitate '' power-sharing talks that have been on hold for the past two weeks .

Still , Tsvangirai said he would attend the swearing-in ceremony .

MDC party spokesman Nelson Chamisa said all MDC members elected to parliament were expected to attend `` except those few MPs who are still in hiding . ''

CNN 's Nkepile Mabuse in Johannesburg , South Africa contributed to this report .

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Moyo received 110 votes , opponent Paul Themba-Nyathi received 98 votes

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Themba-Nyathi represented the splinter MDC faction led by Arthur Mutambara

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MDC 's Shuwa Mudiwa and Elia Jembere arrested outside parliament building

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Ruling ZANU-PF party lost majority in 210-seat parliament in March elections